Penholder socket



May 5, 1931. G. J. sENGBUscH 1,804,120

PENHOLDER S OCKET FilEd Jan. 29, 1927 Patented May 5, 1931 GUSTAV J'. SENGBUSOH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PENHOLDER SOCKET Application filed January 29, 1927.

This invention relates to pen holder sockets and more particularly to sockets provided for the purpose of holding a writing pen in an upright position so that it is conveniently accessible for use.

@ne of 1Lhe objects of the invention is to provide a socket of the class described which will co-act with a portion cfa suitable pen to forml a substantially air tight container for the pen point so that the writing fluid onvpthe pen pointwill not readily evaporate and leave a deposit of writing fluid material which would t-end to clog the pen and impair its writing qualities.

Another object is to provide means in the socket for facilitating the formation of the air tight chamber as above described, without exercising estreme care in placing the pen in the socket.

Still another object is to provide a socket, such as above described, which will be adjustable so as to accommodate a large percentage of the pens or pen holders in use or on the market, wherefore it will not be necessary to provide a special pen for use therewith.

Other objects are to provide a socket such as above described which may be easily cleaned and which is simple in construction andy maybe manufactured at a relatively low cost. j

Other objects and advantages will be readily understood when the following specification is considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a. selected embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan. t

Fig. 2 is a sect-ion on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of 2.

`Referring now to the drawings, the pen socketV comprises a tubular member 12, of hard'rubber, bakelite or other suitable material, provided with a bore of small diameter Serial No. 164,411.

as indicated at 13 at its lower end, and a bore of larger diameter as at 14, at its upper end. A shoulder or seat 15 is thus formed at the meeting point of the two bores and this seat is preferably inclined downwardly towards the axis of the tubular member as illustrated in Fig. 2. The lower end of the member 12 is provided with a portion 16 of reduced diameter, which preferably tapers towards its end, and this reduced portion is adapted to receive a cap 17 thereover. The cap 17 comprises, for instance, a tubular portion 18, snugly fitting over the reduced portion 16 at its upper end, and a closure portion 19 at its lower end.

I prefer to provide the said reduced portion 16 on the tubular member 12 so that the outer surface of the member immediately above the said reduced portion will be flush with the outer surface of the cap member l? for a purpose which will presently appear.

The upper portion of the member 12 is provided with a plurality of fingers 20-20, which are adjustable inwardly towards the axis of the member 12 at their top portions. l prefer to form these fingers by slotting the tubular member as indicated at 21-21, thereby leaving a series of etensions or lingers projecting upwardly from the unslotted portion of the tubular member and integral therewith. The fingers so formed will be relatively thin in cross section, and sufficiently flexible, (the member being of hard rubber or the like) to permit bending or flexing thereof so that the top portions thereof may be adjusted inwardly as above mentioned.

Means for effecting adjustment of the fingers 20-20 and for maintaining the fingers in the desired position of adjustment, comprises a tubular sleeve 22 provided with internal screw threading 23 adapted to engage screw threading 24 on the member 12 adjacent the lower ends of the fingers 20. lEhe sleeve is further provided with an inwardly tapering portion or neck 25 which Lio is adapted to engage the upper cud portions of the fingers 20, so as to force the latter inwardly as the sleeve is rotated and caused to move downwardly by the action of the screw threads Q3 and 24.

A pen such as indicated at 2G may be inserted into the socket until the lower end 2T of the pen engages the shoulder whereby the pen point 28 is prevented fronrengaging the closure 19 of the cap, so as to avoid possible injury to the pen. The lingers 20 are adjustable inwardly, so that they hold the pen substantially coaxial with thertubular member 12. The lower end 9.7 of the pen will thereby be caused to engage the sea-t 15 substan'tially throughout its entire circumference, the downward inclination of the seat 15 also aiding in positioning the pen coaxially with the tubular member 12.

By thus seating the end of the pen on the seat 15, a closed and substantially air tight pocket or chamlr enclosino' the pen point is formed in the lower end or the member 12 and the cap 1T. The airtight chamber thus formed is particularly advantageous and desira le when a fountain pen or other reservoir pen is used in connection with the socket, since evaporation of the stored supply of writing fluid is prevented.

The adjustable finger arrangement above described adapts the socket to use with a large percentage of the pens in daily use and on the market, which pens vary somewhat in cross sectional size, and it is therefore apparent that a special pen need not be provided for use in connection with my soci-ret.

For facilitating insertion of 'the nen into the socket, the upper end of the sleeve is provided with an outwardly flaring or funnellike portion 29.

The socket as above described, may be mounted on a desk by means of a suitable bracket, or a base of any ornamental material or configuration, or both, may be provided.

ln the present instance, l have indicated a base preferably of glass, which bz is provided with a central aperture or receptacle 31. The socket structure ia mounted on the base by means of a cover which rests on the top of the base as indicated at 33. An annular flange 3i dependingl from the cover is provided with a plurality of tapped apertures for receiving` thumb screws 35, extending therethrough, which screws may be screwed through the flange and into engagement with the wall of the receptacle S1, for clamping the cover in place on the base. There a base is provided with a receptacle having a bottom closure, th'-x screws may be adjusted to their proper position and the cover then forced into place in the receptacle.

rlhe cover is provided with an aperture indicated at 36 which is adapted to snugly receive the lower cylindrical portion of the member 1Q, a shoulder 3T being provided on the member for positioning` the latter on the cover. I prefer to provide the socket with its axis at an angle to the plane of the cover 52, and for this purpose l depress a portion of the cover as indicated at 88, and raise a portion as indicated at 39. By thus shaping the cover, l provide a surface portion l() at substantially right angles to the axis of the socket when disposed in the desired position of singularity, which surface is adapted to receive the said aperture 3o and whereby firm mounting of the member in such angular position is facilitated.

rlhe pen may be inserted into the socket without exercising extreme care, since the construction of the socket effects proper alignment of the pen in the socket, and the socket may readily be adjusted to receive various sizes of pens by merely rotating the sleeve Q2 until the desired adjustment of the fiugers Q0 is obtained. The lingers 2O are of course, adjusted so that they do not bind the pen but permit free insertion of withdrawal thereof.

The socket may be cleaned with great facility by merely withdrawing` the entire socket from the aperture 36 in the cover and then separating the cap 17 from the member l2. The joint between the cap and member 12 is preferably frictional, although more positive means may be provided, and the socket is preferably retained in the aperture 36, also by friction.

l am aware that various changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims which should be construed as broadly as possible, consist-ent with the state of the art.

claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having an opening therein, a cover mounted on said base over said opening, and a socket for receiving a pen, said socket being mount-ed on said cover and having a portion extending therethrough into said opening, said socket comprising a tubular member, a cap member removably mounted on the lower end of said tubular member and serving as a closure therefor, and means inside said tubular member for limiting inward movement ef the pen, said neans being effective to engage a portion of the pen above the writingpoint thereof so as to provide a. substantially sealed chamber enclosing the writingl point, whereby evaporation of writing fluid on said point is retarded, and whereby said point is prevented from engaging said closure capA 2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a socket for receiving a pen and comprising a tubular member, a closure for one end of said tubular member, means llO Iii

in said tubular member forv limiting inward movement of said pen in the socket, adjustable means adjacent the open end of the socket for positioning the pen substantially coaxial with the socket, and means constituting a part of said socket for eii'ecting adjustment of said adjustable means.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having an opening therein, a cover mounted on said base over said opening, and a socket member removably mounted on said cover and having a portion extending therethrough into said opening, said socket comprising a tubular member having a seat therein, a plurality of fingers projecting upwardly therefrom and forming a pen positioning part, means for effecting adjustment of said fingers to cause the same to accommodate a pen of pred-etermined size, and a cap member removably mounted on the lower end of said member.

l. In a pen socket ofthe class described, the combination of a tubular member for receiving a pen and provided with means for lim.- iting inward movement of the pen therein, and a cup-shaped cap removably mounted on the lower end of said tubular member, closing said lower end and serving as an extension for lengthening said member.

5. In a socket for receiving a pen, the combination of a tubular member having one end closed and its other end open, and provided with a plurality of upwardly extending iiexible fingers, said fingers being coaxial with said tubular member, of resilient material and normally tending to maintain a spread position, said fingers being adapted to be uniformly flexed inwardly to reduce the size of the opening therebetween, whereby said fingers are operative to position pens of a predetermined range of cross sectional size substantially coaxial with the tubular member, a sleeve over said fingers, means in said sleeve for effecting adjustment of said fingers, and a seat insaid tubular member for limiting inward movement of the pen therein.

6. In a socket for receiving a pen, the combination of a tubular member adapted to receive the lower end of' pen, the inside dij ameter of the upper portion of said tubular member being considerably greater than the outside diameter of the portion of the pen received thereby, a closure for the lower end of said tubular member, a downwardly and inwardly inclined annular seat adjacent the lower end of said upper portion i'or receiving the lower end of the pen, thereby to limit inward movement of the pen in said tubular member, a plurality,7 ot fingers integral with said member and extending upwardly therefrom, adapted to engage the pen at a point spaced upwardly from said seat to position the pen substantially coaxial with the tubular member, and means for adjusting said fingers so as to cause the same to be effective to position pensof a predetermined range of cross-sectional size substantially coaxial with said tubularmember, the inclination of said seat being effective to cause the adjacent end 4of the pen to also assume a coaxial position. i

7. In a socket for receiving a pen, the combination of a tubular member having one end closed and its other end open, said tubular member being provided with-a plurality ot upwardly extending flexible fingers arranged circumferentially therein and substantially coaxial therewith, said fingers being adapted to be uniformly flexed 'radially of the tubular member to alter the size of the opening therebetween, said lingers being thereby operative to position the engaged portions of pens of a predetermined range of cross-sectional size substantially coaxial with the tubular member, manually adjustable means for adjust-ing said lingers, and a seat in said tubular member for limiting inward movement oi' the pen therein.

8. In a pen socket ofthe class described, the combination of a tubular member adapted to receive a pen, a closure for one end of said tubular member, an annular, inclined seat in said tubular member located intermediate the length thereof, said seat serving to receive the lower end of the pen and to substantially center said lower end in said tubular member, adjustable means constituting a part of the socket, spaced upwardly from said seat, for engaging a portion of the pen spaced upwardly from its lower end, said adjustable means serving to center said upwardly spaced pen portion with respect to said tubular member, whereby a substantially complete annular part of said lower pen end is caused to engage said seat so as to provide a substantially air tight joint between the pen and the seat, thereby to seal the pen point apart from the atmosphere, in the lower end ot' said tubular member.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pen receiving socket, means in said socket for engaging a part of a pen to limit inward movement of the pen in the socket, resiliently supported means in said socket for engaging a part of the pen to hold the same substantially coaxial with the socket, said means being adjustable to engage and hold pens of various cross-sectional sizes in said coaxial relation, the resiliency of said means tending to normally urge said means to occupy a predetermined position, and manually adjustable means constituting part of said socket for positively electing adjustment of said engaging means in one direction against the resiliency thereof.

lO. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pen receiving socket, means in said socket for engaging a part of a pen to limit inward movement of the pen in the socket, resiliently supported means in said socket for engaging a part of the pen to hold Cil the same substantially coaxial with the socket, said means being adjustable to engage and hold pens of various cross-sectional sizes in said coaxial relation, the resiliency 0f said engaging means normally tending to maintain the same in position :for receiving the largest size pen Within the receiving range of the socket, and manually adjustable means constituting part of the socket for positively effecting adjustment of said pen engaging means to receive pens of smaller cross-sed tional sizes.

GUSTAV J. SENGBUSGH. 

